Kopites set to pay tribute to Owen McVeigh

A tribute will appear on the Kop this evening in memory of a young Liverpool supporter who sadly passed away after battling leukaemia.

Supporter group Spion Kop 1906 have created a flag to honour 11-year-old Owen McVeigh from West Derby that will be seen during the Capital One Cup semi-final against Stoke City.

Owen was a regular at Anfield, having attended every home game since the age of five, but died in December shortly after being diagnosed with the illness.

The young Reds fanatic who, like Steven Gerrard before him, attended Cardinal Heenan high school, regularly helped Spion Kop with their displays from Anfield's most famous stand on his frequent visits to the ground.

The poignant flag set to be displayed tonight reads, ‘It’s off to the match we go’ and is accompanied by an image of a boy in a red shirt with ‘McVeigh’ on the back.

Last season, Owen travelled to Selhurst Park for the FA Cup tie against Crystal Palace where he was handed a match-worn shirt by Martin Skrtel at the end of the game, a moment which caught the attention of the media.

Upon learning of the death of Owen, Reds defender Skrtel sent the family a letter of condolence.

They now plan to set up a foundation in memory of Owen to raise funds for local children in Liverpool, including CHICS, which is a cancer support group for children on Merseyside.